West African leaders will meet on Thursday to make a final decision on how to deal with the situation in Niger, where the military has defied a deadline set up the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to reinstate the democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.
The military seized power on July 26, following a mutiny.
ECOWAS leaders at an emergency meeting in the Nigerian capital, Abuja on July 30, issued a seven days ultimatum for the deposed president to be reinstated, among other demands. That deadline elapsed last Sunday.
On Monday, the bloc announced a planned meeting to be held by the leaders in Abuja to discuss its next move.
“During this Summit, the leaders of the West African organization will address the political situation and recent developments in Nigeria,” it said in a statement.
Concerns have grown about the potential for an escalation of violence in the country in the event of military intervention.
Military chiefs of the member countries of ECOWAS also met in Abuja late last week and agreed on a plan for a possible intervention.
The meeting was attended by military chiefs from Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, Senegal, Ghana, , Guinea Bissau, Gambia, Cabo Verde and Benin.
The host, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff and President of the ECOWAS Military Chiefs, General Christopher Musa, chaired the two-day meeting which took place at Defence Headquarters in Abuja.
“We have acknowledged the need for a comprehensive approach that encompasses political, security, and diplomatic dimensions,” Gen. Musa was quoted on Friday.
“The coup in the Niger Republic represents a blatant disregard for these fundamental principles that underpin our regional integration and stability. We must unequivocally condemn such actions and demonstrate our unwavering commitment to democracy,” he added.
“The time has come again for ECOWAS to show that we are a rules-based organisation, we are rule based countries; we cannot allow the rule by the Ballot Box to be replaced by the rule of Kalashnikovs,” Abdel-Fatau Musah, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of ECOWAS, told the military chiefs at the meeting.
Division among the member countries about whether to pursue the military option has also heightened the concerns.
According to reports, only three countries – Senegal, Ivory Coast and Benin have openly expressed willingness to join Nigeria in deploying troops in Niger if the bloc endorses the decision to forcefully reinstate Bazoum.
On the other hand, Burkina Faso and Mali, which share borders with Niger, have vowed to support the Nigerien military to resist foreign intervention. Guinea also warned against military intervention. All three countries are under military rule.
Col-Major Abdourahamane Tchiani, the Nigerien Junta leader, vowed to defend the country from any outside invasion. He announced over the weekend the closure of the country’s airspace, warning against violation of it.
“Niger’s armed forces and all our defence and security forces, backed by the unfailing support of our people, are ready to defend the integrity of our territory,” a spokesman for the coup leaders said.
The calls for a peaceful resolution have been echoed by some Western nations, including Italy and Germany, who reportedly urged ECOWAS to pursue a diplomatic solution, calling for an extension of the deadline set up by the leaders.
The former colonial power of Niger, France, appears to be more forceful about forcing the junta out. It has evacuated its nationals and warned against traveling to the West African country in fear of an all-out violence.
